Warped
by Eke
Summary: Aang has lost the war. In a last ditch effort to restore balance, Avatar Roku forces a teen into the avatar world. The teen is dropped straight into the fire nation palace and things go haywire from there.OCxAzula. Kataang. Tokka. Rated M to be safe. R&R.
1. The Visitation

A/N: I don't own any of the Characters or anything having to do with Avatar The Last Airbender. In addition to that, any references or allusions made in this story I also do not own. Some of the things i do claim ownership of however is the plot, any original characters, and any of my ideas .

* * *

"Ha!"

"Clack!"

"Huugh!"

"Ku-klak!"

My feet scuffle one step after another. I habitually hold my stance, by now martial arts were second nature to me. My hands slowly lower to another stance, the point of the wooden katana drifting mere hairs above the grass. My abdomen swells and flexes. Breathing in through my nose, I feel ki begin to fill me. Striking out at my dad, mouth open, and sword flowing through a beautiful, predestined arc. My father raised his wooden sword to his shoulder. Purpleheart wood slammed into purleheart wood, ki crashed against ki. The wood crackled, sputtering pale embers that glitter under a plasma glow. Astonished, both of us leap back. From opposite sides of a now scorched patch of dirt, each of us points our practice swords at the other's throat.

"Vernon! How long are you guys gonna practice? It's getting dark!" my mom stood at the back door.

"Just a sec honey!" My dad turned back to me. "Well seems like you're able to use ki proficiently."

" I…" I stop to sharply take in a breath. "told you…. I could…" My eyebrows furrowed in a childish glare.

"Yeah, but you're slower than Christmas." He patted me on the head. "Just remember to breathe more, Okay."

My breath was coming out in choppy rasps, yet I managed to get out a " yes sir" before we bowed out and prayed our closing prayer. I looked up and my dad was smiling at me.

" Son I know in 3 months you're going off to college. I want you to know that we love you and whatever happens we will always love you. You can come back to us if you need help and don't be afraid to ask for help in these coming seasons." His eyes began to tear up behind his glasses. " I'm so proud of you son." I took my hands off my knees and hugged him. Patting his back, I kindly reassured him, " I'll be here in the morning. I'm not off to college yet." I sighed after feeling him loosen his embrace. My father and I are close; we are similar to close friends and yet still retain the bonds of father and son. He turned and made through the yard toward the kitchen yelling something about what's for dinner.

With my feet planted in the ground my mind began to wander, " Was I really going to college? Wow, I guess I'm really becoming a man, yet I'm only seventeen." Shifting breezes washed over my face, then they whipped across my head in a cyclonic fashion. The breeze slowly got stronger until there were loud rumblings that shook me like a hi-powered subwoofer. The sound repeated itself like a slow beating drum. I could barely stand from whatever was causing the overhead bursts of wind. I finally managed to look up. Flapping wings nearly pummeled me, while the wind muffled my hearing. Next thing I knew a bloodcurdling roar ripped in the air just a few feet above me. It knocked flat onto the ground. My body shook in the midst of the aura of the unknown presence hovering above me. I curled into a half bowed half fetal position. I couldn't stop myself; part of me stood defiantly, while the rest prostrated face down onto the ground like the surrounding grass. The reptilian monster cried again. I held onto my head with both hands as if to squeeze that screeching roar back out of my skull. The sound only intensified. My roar-ravaged senses finally came clear. Producing a warm, gentle breeze, a dragon's wings flapped around me. Out of my peripheral I could see black claws covered in a scaly, crimson armor. I could sense its snout inches from my back. Soft balmy breath inquisitively pushed against the back of my gi. I clamped my eyes shut. No sooner than the darkness had flooded my sight had a second being made himself known. I could feel his ki atop the behemoth of scale and flame, and a red light bored through my now squinted eyes and went straight into my brain. The red, mythological beast just towered over me, and I could now feel my paralyzing fear start to wane as capacity of thought returned to me. Suddenly, the glowing apparition shoved a glimpse of his image into my head. In an open vision I beheld an old man standing on top of the dragon's shoulder blades. A maroon Pao coat streamlined with crimson adorned his built frame. He sported a long beard, had matching, white, long hair, and a face that was hard and wise, yet kind and compassionate.

I began trying to size him up and calculate my chances of survival. Hidden behind the overpowering lights replacing his eyes, a voice whispered to me. Barely audible, it spoke deep into my spirit. " A sage…"

Straining I lifted my head, " What are you talking about?" A whisper just outside of hearing, the voice repeated itself once more. " Roku? Is that your name?" I repeated what he said trying to hear and understand him. But no answer came; he did not speak up. I gathered myself and sharply drew in a breath. Redirected at me, the torrent intensified. His eyes glared like the midday sun. Barely getting into a wide-footed stance, I crossed my arms trying to block the wide cataclysm that plowed around me. "What do you want with me?" The smell of ash flooded my nostrils; the roar of flames filled my ears. My mouth is now caked with a new taste of fiery destruction.

" Careful Fang, don't kill him. " He returned his gaze back to me. " Boy, I believe you know who I am. I am the avatar. And I need your help." From atop his mount he bent over, stretching his thick, leathery hand. " You must come with me."

" Sorry Sean Connery. But I got a life to pursue!" I turned and ran. The grass underneath my feet fluttered as I spun through the air. My world spiraled as the earth collided with my face and rolled past my eyes. While I flew like ragdoll I caught a glimpse of a torched crater. A pillar of smoke and flame climbing into the sky. Using my momentum, I fell into a backdrop roll and tumbled a few times. Gagged, I coughed up smoke and ash, " What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me?" In shock, my eyes widened so much they resembled hemispheres.I wanted to scream but the adrenaline in my veins stopped me. I turned. Narrowly dodging the dragon's claw, I bolted towards the house like a child running for safety. Advancing quakes told me the dragon was only a few steps behind; I could feel the thick balmy breath against my neck once again. The reptile came up on me and In the next instant, flattened me on the ground with a "peck" of its snout.

That foreign red light invaded me again; fogging up my senses like a haze. "What fang? Is that your dragon's name? Roku? Was that your name? Why are you doing this?" Just silence. I screamed. Spilling my pent up ki across the floor. Forming a dome. I could see myself reaching out with white flames. Protecting itself. The dragon fled into the air, writhing and turning. I didn't wait a moment longer. Sprinting, I reached the door of my house. I risked a look back. Nobody was there. The door at my back and the wrecked garden in front of me, the now serene garden just seemed to stare back at me, declaring that I had gone insane. I turned around and went inside taking note of my shaking hands. I only shake for two reasons: excitement or anxiety.

Something big was coming…

* * *

A/N:My first Avatar fanfic. Please R&R.

I'm sorry if Roku seemed out of character. I realize that he isn't someone who goes around cappin' people.

I'm reading/editing the second chap as we speak. It will be up soon so please be patient


	2. Abduction

A/N: Lol, sorry i took so long. My friend got me hooked on Wow and if you throw in school, AP test, and my crazy Art Class, I have been distracted and busy. But your reviews really spurred me on! Thanks for R&R'ing it encouraged me to finish editing this second chap and continue on.

* * *

Night.

Shower.

Dinner.

Nothing could take my mind from the earlier event. Roku tried to kidnap me? I glanced at my trembling hands. Remembering the wave of flame, the blast was powerful, astounding. The dragon loomed in my mind still about to take me with its jaws. Then the intense fireball sent me rolling, colliding with the earth. Roku must have been desperate to use such force. Why would Roku attack me like that? I can't firebend. I can barely utilize my own energies. My parents stared at me across the table. My silence worried them. My mom scolded my dad for the overkill ki training he put me through. "You pushed him too hard. Now he's still dazed from the fight you two had earlier. And did you have to make so many holes in the yard."

My eyes shot up. "Holes!?" I fought back a shocked expression trying to surface.

Her eyes flared and she threw up a hand. "How could you not notice? They're everywhere!"

Fiddling with some food, I looked down at the plate. "Did you see what made them?"

"Yeah your dad and his martial arts that's what!" Although the chill of her remark tainted the beginning dinner she worked hard to prepare, the rest of dinner sluggishly lazed on by like one big blur. I obsessed over the Avatar Roku and his dragon. Had I done something wrong? Why was he after me? Eerie persistence was written all over his face, an unshakable determination that I had only seen before in the eyes my dad and heard in the words of my mother.

After dinner I made an effort to be apart of family matters. I joked during the movies and watched shows like house with them until about ten o'clock. Then each of us retired. With each recollection, fresh adrenaline pumped through veins. I waited for two or three hours, when my parents would be asleep and carefully I tiptoed out of bed and into the lobby upstairs. I walked past the Chuck Norris TotalGym and headed down the stairs. Carefully walking on the balls of my feet, I quietly crept down to the first floor. Double-checking that no one was on the couch I made my way to the door of my parent's bedroom. My two parents were snoring away in their beds as expected. I made my way across the master bedroom and up the miniature flight of stairs at the far wall. Above the master bedroom was a hidden room that my dad used to hold private files, weapons, and practice martial arts or work on projects. As I got up the stairs I quickly checked the desk and looked up at the closets on the far end of our green tatami mats. I walked across the green, artificial tatami mat that my dad and I customized and put down. I snuck into the left closet. A sickly feeling washed over me. This felt wrong, but I reassured myself I wasn't stealing anything. I was just taking what was mine. Inside the closet I grabbed a katana. I wanted to be ready. I had a good feeling that there would be a second coming of his arrival. And just in case this 'Roku' somehow warranted eliminate over capture.

I went back to my room and just sat there on my bed. I sat in Indian-style because I was too afraid to lie down. I took the katana that rested against my shoulder and laid it across my lap. I took my left hand and grabbed the scabbard just behind the cross-guard and held it beside me. I thumbed the circular, golden cross-guard. My other hand felt the golden piece on the end of the hilt. The teapot was still there; the guard was decorated with a relief of sakura petals. Breathing out slowly I let my ki fill the room. As my ki bubbled into the space around me a warm glow illuminated my bedroom. I briefly wondered if this was what they called 'firebending' in my favorite cartoon: Avatar the Last Airbender. Such questions didn't answer why some psycho posed as Roku would chase me. I wanted to practice some drills with my sword but my parents' room is underneath mine. So I couldn't calm my mind by doing katas.

I thought back to yesterday. Roku or not, that man seemed genuine. I thought back to his kind, caring eyes. I examined the image in my head. Did he really come from another world? Even though I had seen the episodes, it all seemed too out there to believe.

Amidst my inquisition I fell asleep. Slowly I began to rock. I felt like I was being washed down a river. The air breathed gently across my face. I leaned to one side and could feel the rushing under an outstretched arm. My eyes shot open. The water blazed an opaque orange. It rushed up and around me as if tracing the edges of a tunnel. Attempting to brake, I reached down into the blaze. I tried to create some drag but was abruptly dragged under. I whorled so fast I lost control of my breath and the liquid fire aggressively flooded into me. I could some kind of numbing force push me into a comatose state. Giving up all thought and sense of time, I floated on by for a while. Occasionally, a rock or pebble would hit or brush by me but I remained inanimate, I lulled a little farther into my relaxing, black slumber. Then without warning my arm snagged against something while almost dislocating my shoulder. No, tendrils of a hand gripped me hard. Frenzied, I fought to wake up. With opening eyes, I peeled away the blackness that gripped me.

A hazy world. A burning City. A swirling hell. I eyed the sight in front of me. Gravity had now taken hold of my body and I dangled from whatever grabbed me. Breathless I looked at the sight around me. Scorched bodies and the past remains of a city circulated in a loose coil of cinders spanning a couple miles in diameter. Upon a closer look, I could see through the blur of my eyes that splintered wood and the remains of red pagodas swam in this surreal, infernal universe. Everything was bathed in flame. A rock blindsided me, my vision went blurry again, but I wasn't blacking out. A distorted voice called from the other end of the arm that was my lifeline. Groggily I glimpsed what looked like a boy through my blurry tunnel vision. One shoulder was bare the other looked like it had an orange and red sarong on it. Judging by the his worried expression and my increasing speed he had let go of me. I took a gander behind me, a swirling black abyss seemed to spiral like a hurricane. I dared to gaze up at the sky falling away from me again. The boy was far above me. The last details I saw were that he had some kind of blue arrow or stripe and silver eyes. He was crying, and had a worried look like Roku. He looked like he not only mourned me but some bigger loss. I couldn't help but think that he was a people person. That he probably had a huge list of friends. I just smiled. I felt goofy as I just kept falling to my death smiling. The abyss of black fire closed around me.

Tendrils of black flames pushed me into its center. Dark flames traversed my body burning away my flesh and slowly swallowing me like an esophagus that pulls food into a stomach. I knew I had one last breath. Realizing there is nothing I can do, I sigh letting out all my breath. Plop. A tear dropped onto my eye. A second fell on my cheek. The third landed on my tongue. Was that boy crying for me? In an instant I was plunged into what felt like never ending, continually renewed pain. The abyss painfully tore flesh from my rib, stripped me of my organs, and ravaged me of everything except bones. The unending flame blazed straight into me. My mind raced constantly dominated by this swelling agony. Eons seemed to placidly go by as this holocaust teased and tormented me endlessly. At a moment's notice I was spun into a stone floor. The floor was made out of the same abyssal flame, but I could help but notice that this abyss began to push me out. The pain stopped. A deluge of humiliation filled me as the abyss squeezed me out like excretal waste. With a sickening, farting sound my torso popped halfway out of what looked like a dragon's anus. A black tail of flame curled up and away from me, ready to push out more crap. Black sludge-like crap oozed from whatever space there was between the flaming asshole and my body. The crapper seemed to loosen its grip around me; I shoved one arm out eliciting labored roar from the creature. " Yeah eat me and I'll give you heartburn, indigestion, and constipation Bitch!" With that I was launched out of its craphole in a meteor of stool.

I wiped the repulsive mucus from my face. I noticed that this dream seemed to be getting weirder. With the exception of my skeleton my whole body was colossus of flame, a black, colorless flame that looked like the void. The pungent odor of burning crap stung my nostrils. I thrust my hands over my face so fast more crap flung itself across my mouth. It vaporized instantly. If it vaporized then that means I'll… I shifted as a loose piece of this shitload came apart. I fell out of it and landed in an aurora of blue fire. The flame turned the mucus-crap into napalm as I ignited into a human fireball. In howling pain again my humiliation turned to anger, I screamed out and lashed wildly against my abstract tormentor. My fiery body reacted in a strange way. I exploded like a black bombshell. The cerulean flame broke hold of me. I was falling again. Upside down weightless, I cased the swirling blue pyre just beyond my nose. It was beautiful like an aurora borealis in the nighttime sky. Before my very eyes, the turquoise aura made nebulas and embers that looked like flares and stars. I had a sense of bewilderment that was replaced by a sense of awe and love. The blue flame moved like a dragon in flight. It released energies like a universe in creation.

A loud crash broke my concentration. Confused and full of adrenaline I awoke completely. My head throbbed. My hand felt the wet, warm spot patch of hair at the back of my skull. My skull swiveled. Shocked, that dragon was here again. I couldn't find Roku. Then the reptilian monster lowered its head revealing that man seated in a rider's position atop the monster. I gazed at the sky. The sun had begun to form on the horizon. But directly above was a vortex of orange flame carting away the roof, attic, and walls of my room. The dragon seemed at complete ease. From the lack of stress on his state, I deferred that fang was just hovering there. Roku seemed intent on me, and his hands held some carefully predetermined position. His eyes and mouth shone this time. I could feel air currents and the heat of flame engulfing me. I assumed an inquisitive yet accusing air, " So you're 'Roku'. Why do you hunt me down and tear my roof away in the middle of the night?"

" It is early morning."

I glared at him. " The sun hasn't even fully risen and you are harassing me and tearing away the roof of my house."

" I had no choice. You must come with me, for the safety of us both." He seemed willful and determined yet concerned.

I scanned his countenance a little longer. " You're not here to hurt me are you?" The question came out more like a realization of relief. He let his hands float down by his sides.

" I'm sorry for the abruptness but I need your help."

" You're sorry. You attacked me. Shot fireballs at me. Vandalize property and threaten my life and all you can apologize for is being abrupt!"

" I did not attack you. I merely defended myse.."

I quickly interjected in, " as did I. What is it with you? Crashing a dragon down into me! You're supposed to be Avatar Roku great and wise you couldn't pick a better way to say 'hi, can I transport you to another world?'"

Roku rubbed his temples. " You sharply inhaled and spiked your chi. Fang here attacked you to abruptly protect me from danger. I'm sorry for any misunderstandings."

A smirk graced my features. " Yeah well that tends to be the standard reaction for trespassing here in Texas." We both laughed briefly.

Fang quietly lowered himself, half in my room half in my dad's "hidden office" on the other side of the wall now torn away. Roku sighed. " I see you're prepared for us."

" I didn't think guns would hurt a spirit so I brought something more… aesthetic."

" Is that really necessary…"

I interrupted him again. " Just tell me why you're here."

" Is this how you treat all guests?" his retort flowed with wisdom and patience.

"Well besides indulging you in your story I can't tell if you're some genetic psycho with some bioengineered animal or a figment of my imagination."

"Neither." He stood in the middle of Fang's back and began to go cycle through four stances performing one strike each. Tai-chi. Bagua-Zhang. Northern Shaolin. Hung Gar. Lava, air, water, and crystals all spiraled from underneath the house and rose heaven-ward creating a cyclone around us. In spite of the blowing, sloshing, crackling, and clashing our conversation continued. " I AM THE AVATAR!!"

I raise my arm in a defensive gesture at the glowing face. " Okay I believe you. What is it that you need my help with that Aang couldn't do?"

His face softened and the cyclone of four elements tapered off. He hung his head briefly as if to look away from me. " Aang has failed. We: the Avatar spirit can no longer bring peace to the world alone."

"What!?" Tears rolled down my face at the thought of this tragedy. " How… could… billions of people…" I almost couldn't get the thought out. " Do they really exists?" I touched my cheek in disbelief, " am I crying over a cartoon?"

" Yes they do. Wan Shi Tong told me how to explain this to you. Your world, my world, all our worlds are a part of a Multiverse: many parallel universes and streams of time running separately of each other and yet side-by-side each other. This haven and my world are both two worlds in a much larger system that neither of us fully comprehend."

"Makes sense. But you want to take me to your world of benders when Aang has failed? Why do I feel like you're not inviting for a vacation?"

" Because I'm not." I sighed at this. Roku raised an eyebrow and continued, " You see the world is still trying to reestablish balance within itself and its inhabitants."

" So why do you need me?"

" You are a catalyst."

" Me? How? What am I supposed to do that you can't?"

Roku smiled at this. " You have the spirit of a sage within you. You can cause change within whatever realm you inhabit and have a greater impact than the avatar because of your specialization. You can go where he cannot go; do what he cannot do."

" Specialization? Impact? What are you talking about exactly?"

He raised his hand in a hushing motion."All in due time."

There was one more question unanswered in my mind. " Aren't there numerous other sages in your world? Why do you need me?"

" Those sages are not the same as the sages I speak of. The ones I speak of are the chi-masters and benders who are equal to me in power and talent. You hold the spirit of the fire sage that Fire Nation lore only hints at. Just as I am the avatar you are the black dragon. The sages that are left should be considered shadows and chroniclers of the true sages now past."

" There are no sages left?"

" The avatar is head sage. And all the sages are now the ruling classes of the world. The Earth King's lineage, Hakoda Water Tribe's blood relations, Sozin's direct family tree, and all of Monk Gyatso's family connections."

" Wait, what characteristics does a true sage have?"

" A heightened dependence or affinity to their element."

" Like Toph seeing through earthbending."

" Exactly. Toph, Kataara, and Sokka are all sages. Both Toph and Katara have mastered heightened forms of bending."

" You mean metalbending and bloodbending."

" Exactly. The avatar and those of the sage's power attract those that share strong similarities with them. However few still exist and most are diluted and dormant. More will be revealed in time."

" Is that why Aang is surrounded by powerful benders and those of the capable sort?"

" Yes, you are once again correct."

_'That sounds like my dream. Was that boy trying to save me? Was he Aang?' _I looked into his eyes once more trying to lengthen the conversation. Then he spoke, " You have the eyes of the dragon even as we speak now."

" Hey wait, I want to ask some more questions."

" Okay, but I have little time left."

" How is Sokka a sage?"

" He is not the type you are thinking about. He cannot bend. He is however a chi-master. His mastery and inclination to Jing related to the battlefield can only be explained as such. As I watch his progress, he even surprises me from time to time. Wan Shi Tong even studies him feverishly; detailing all of his life since his narrow defeat at the desert library."

" Yeah, that library is at the bottom of a bowl of sand. How can you talk to him?"

" The same way I talk to you. In spirit."

" How am I a sage? I'm far from it. I can barely make a flame." I retaliated, greatly hurting his argument or so I had thought.

He just laughed. " This world greatly dampens any chi flow. The whirlwind of elements you saw was the best I could do yet it is nothing. You ask me how does that make you a sage? The fact that you can make any flame is a testament that you are a sage." I stared at him in utter bewilderment. "You've had no severe trauma to greatly induce your growth of spirit, no truly expert training, and very little examples to go by or learn from. For someone who has 'caught instead of taught' you and your dad are truly sages."

" Why me? Why not him?"

" You supersede his abilities as the next generation. And on a side note your mom is a sage too. " He looked at me reassuringly, kind of like a grandfather. " Have you heard of the horoscope?"

"Yeah. Isn't that largely inaccurate?"

" Yes exactly but the stars have their uses even if your charts are off. You being born under the Ares constellation is no mistake. You are a powerful firebender."

" Well I understand the sage thing, but how am I to restore order when you can't?"

Happy to get down to business, Roku smiled. " There is a law of entropy that persist across all dimensions. The world cannot retain order in the shape it is in. So it will attempt to… 'fall in line' so to speak."

" Like if a child loses his balance."

Roku completed my analogy. "Yes the child falls on the ground and while he remains down…"

We both echoed in unison, " …Balance is restored."

We both remained silent. Fang snorted. Roku chimed, " oh I'm sorry boy, your wings must be getting tired. Here I won't be much longer." From atop his perch he turned back to me. " So you understand."

" Yeah, the 'child' could get hurt."

" A scrape won't hurt the world anymore than the continued imbalance."

" But a fall could mean a broken limb or death of the whole world depending on where and how it breaks and lands. I won't be apart of such a horrible, half-baked plan"

" There is no choice. It's not ill thought out; the last time this happened was during the beginning of the avatar cycle. And balance was restored for over a hundred millennia."

My eyes glared daggers now. "Yeah, if only you could maintain that balance."

"As defiant as always Dragon, we were right to seal you here where you cannot channel easily." Roku stared at me for minutes at a time. I couldn't help but spit 'what' at him. He replied, " I just want to ask you a question."

"Shoot."

" I know so little about your world. How is it you know so much about mine?"

Surprised at such an obvious fact, I looked back at him. "According to the multiverse theory all the worlds are connected. Seems some minds here perceived your world as an idea and produced it as a cartoon."

" Is this cartoon popular?" proud curiosity glanced through his cheeks and eyes.

Smiling at the memories, " Yep it has been running for years. One of my favorites; I think it had a happy ending unlike your tale."

Roku seemed to get a kick out of this. " If only Sozin knew about this."

" What was that?" Roku shot straight up, rejoining the conversation. I continued, " Please can you repeat that? You were mumbling."

Roku just sat still like nothing happened, " Please go on young one I was listening to you."

" Well I guess our influence is in your world too."

" Like what"

"For one, the whole tibetan, asian, and inuit theme; tanks, vehicles, and weaponry. Oh and don't forget magnetism and drills."

"Fine I see your point. But for the ultimate question, Will you help me?"

I began rubbing my chin pensively. "Let's see, you basically want me to create chaos in the avatar's realm in order restore order. I'm going to a land where people can barbeque me, smash me with boulders, and drown me at will. Let's not forget blowing me with hurricane force winds. Now this normally peaceful world is a deathtrap even by its own standards normally threatening standards. You throw that into the mix and the answer can only be a sharply, curtly, abrupt…" I closed my mouth and let a drawl of silence for suspense. Roku leaned forward. Then caustically I opened my mouth, "NO!" Roku drooped disappointedly.

"Well you leave me no choice. Fang!" His dragon rose up. The crane of teeth and scales abruptly swallowed me in one shot. I barely had time to realize I had been eaten. I began to spread my arms and legs trying to lodge in its throat. My feet slid effortlessly and my hands couldn't find any kind of grip. I vowed under my breath I'm not going be dragon crap if that's what my dream meant. I held on to my sword and braced for the worst. But on the way down I caught onto some fibrous tissue. The dragon began coughing vehemently. Then its stomach's contents flowed upward over me as it upchucked. I was covered in a wretched smell. Then I spotted some glands with kerosene like fluid. I didn't want to bath in dragon barf again so I thought I'd leave it alone.

I began to think of ways of escape. Firebending inside of the throat of a fire-breathing dragon sounded like a retarded escape plan. I looked down at the stomach. I couldn't see a thing. I began to focus ki into my eyes. My retina began to itch and tingle until muscles and nerve endings shone in soft hues. I chuckled at the thought of Roku amazed at my little talent. I could just see his face and hear his voice say, " you can see through firebending?" _Focus, Robert, Focus._ The heat produced by the body and bioelectric currents refined to sharp, crisp clean images. I could see the flap over my hand perfectly. I could see everything perfectly, the warmth the bioelectric currents between nerves I was viewing basic firebending inside this majestic animal. I studied the fleshy pipe I was stuck in. There was only one pathway above me and I was in one side of what looked like a fork in a road. _'If barf came up from under me that means that means I'm hanging into the other half of the esophagus.' _I looked down seeing all the muscles and nerves and garage-sized sack of weak acid. I thumbed the cross-guard on my katana. Opening and closing it with a clank each time, I thought about the tunnel below and its destination. An idea dawned on me. Crocodiles were once called water dragons. Their underbelly is a weak-point. Maybe I could cut my way through the bottom of this beast.

Letting go the esophagus squeezed me down further. Finally after being caressed all the way down by detestable tissue, I squeezed into the muscular balloon. Unfortunately, I landed mouth open. I spat out Fang's bitter stomach acid, and spewed juices of my own at the abominable assault on all my senses. From within the stomach I realized just how active a flyer Fang was. He loved inversions and corkscrews. This pouch of food never stayed still. Vertigo from the dragon's acrobatics kept me from telling up from down. Then just as I was about to regain my senses the dragon dives into a sharp turn and my body is rocked into a beating organ. Upset I kick it through the stomach. The dragon screams a cry that I wish I couldn't hear so well. While it's the beast's diaphragm compacts the whole cavity, including the stomach, and I nearly suffocate as a result of that contraction. Once things return to normal or close enough I'm ready for a new approach. '_Clawing my way through the spine and scales will be useless. The belly is my only way out. So if the heart is above me the underside would be below.'_ I was now ready to try my escape plan. I just pray I don't cut my way out while five-thousand feet in the air.

Grabbing onto the inner wall of the stomach I began to climb towards the heart. I got to the top. Feeling the heart on the other side of my hand, I tied the katana's scabbard around my back leaving the slack from the sash near the hilt. I drew my katana and bravely aimed the razor sharp tip below me. _'Fang must be flying right side up for the stomach to sag down like that. Should I do this? Roku will be mad. What if I don't land anywhere safe? What if I'm fifty thousand feet in the air? I don't want to go SPLAT against the ground. Please no metal, no snow, and no fire nation." _I let go of the stomach lining above me fell like a rock. Wrapping my thick, muscular frame around the sword like a pogo stick I plunged through of the stomach, out of the abdomen, and pierced all the scales with one try. I dropped out of Roku's dragon plummeted into tile. Lubricated in vomit, I skid across polished stone with a loud screech.

"Look out!" Somebody saw me. I tried to see who said it. All I caught glimpse of was the fire nation guard I veered off and drifted into. Woozy, dizzy, and suffering from a concussion let my eyes get used to the real light and skin used to the normal warmth. I leaned my head back on something hard. It went clank and had the reminiscent feel of a body.

" Hey what did you do to Zhao Shu!?" I looked up at a man wearing a grey jumpsuit, black boots, and red armor complete with a white facemask.

My head swooned from the crash. " I'd say you looked like a…" I saw the red spikes and recognized who he was. Edging slowly to the side, I gathered my belongings and my sword.

A hard voice came from behind the mask in front of me. " Now just be still…" He reached for his halberd leaned against the wall. I inhaled sharply. Dashed forward and cut through him with a horizontal swipe of my sword. I heard the crimson faucet spatter its contents onto the ground. He fell with a sickening thud, dropping his halberd point down into his friend. The second guard squealed like a dying sow. I tried to calm him down " No no no please stop!" The guard had a look of horror that passed even through his mask.

He screamed twice as loud. " Somebody help! I'VE BEEN MURDERED! AAAAAHHHH!" The fumbling idiot (now trying to cause a scene) twisted and turned with a polearm impaled in his gut. Not knowing what else to do I cut off his head. The useless cap shot off the neck and shoulders like a cork on a champagne bottle. I spun my sword, quickly shaking off all blood. I heard the patter of more military boots and a grunt screaming, " Captian it came from over here!" I quickly grabbed the helmet from half the top half of one solder lying next to me. I shot up the wall and stuck the fire spikes of the helm like a mountain climber putting a spike in the side of a cliff for a safety line .

The clank of armor grew louder. Now not only footsteps could be heard, but I could make out the clamoring of protective plates as the soldiers shifted their stances uneasily. The fanned out and searched the area then met back at the two dead bodies below me. I glanced down from atop the ceiling and listened on their conversation.

The captain stepped forward and looked at the bodies. "Li, you're the one going into the investigative division, Make sense of this!"

Another soldier chimed in, "Yeah your smart what happened was it a fight between the two. Zhao Shu and Xi-chun did have bad blood. Too bad it happened like this."

One soldier stepped forward and squatted down to examine the bodies. "No it wasn't murder. At least not how you were thinking." Each soldier and guard stepped back in shock. I heard a grunt of approval from the Captain.

The Captain looked at Li. "What makes you think that soldier?"

"Sir?" his stance asked permission in the place of words.

"I can't just report to higher ups without proof." The captain seemed genuinely concerned. If discord happened under his watch it'd look bad on his record as long as he lived.

Li studied the scene again. "Judging by the armor these two were mid rank. But they're both lancers."

An uneasy soldier that kept vigilantly looking around spoke up from the back of the circle. "Why couldn't have one done this to the other."

Li pointed to the scuffed tiles. "Those abrasions suggest our perpetrator slid in and tackled the first guard. The second in a panic reached for his pole arm and got cut. As he went into shock he fell forward into his friend."

The captain was getting rather skeptical now. "That doesn't explain the soldier screaming bloody murder." The rest of the group of eight laughed.

A large firebender leaning against the wall questioned. "The first death needs to be explained too!" The rest of the group turned to him. "Aw, you don't support Li do you?" The bass voice responded, "He has a right to his own opinion.

Motioning to the surly firebender leaned against the wall, Li abruptly continued, "Biggs is right. To create a gash of this size would have taken more than one stroke." Li turned over the cut body with no hesitation. Everyone leaned in, with oohs and aahs. _'_

_Come On! Just search the area and leave don't have fun with this.' _My hand was getting tired of holding onto the helmet and I was tempted to use the katana hanging across my back.

"Woah! Look at that cut!" half the squad peered into it. Li was pale behind his mask. "Whoever did this is a master with whatever weapon he's using. He not only went through both ends of our armor but also managed to hide before we got here. I'm convinced there was a third person here. Judging by the wound it was one clean stroke. The second kill had to have been collateral." Now believing his Lieutenant, The captain pointed at the second pair of scuff marks in which I charged passed my assailant not too long ago.

A vigilant soldier spoke to the captain, "I think we should warn the others, he can't still be here anyway. He may be moving in on his next target"

Li countered him. "The palace floors are too hard. Quick unplanned steps on this tile would have practically told us where he was long ago. No, I think he's still here."

The vigilant soldier shot back, "I got a bad feeling about this."

Biggs retorted, "You have a bad feeling about everything."

"Hey! You don't survive as many battles as I have without following your intuition."

"Well my intuition says to torch the place"

Captain stopped Biggs just as he made a fireball, "If you unnecessarily fireball this palace again, Ozai will be cooking you in his throne room." Various gulps could be heard among the men.

The vigilant one reminded them, "Do you remember what Ozai did to the last response group who failed?"

One anonymous soldier answered his question. "I heard he left the group's punishment to Azula's sole discretion."

"MEN, we do not think of what if we lose!" he paused. The Captain resumed rallying cheer. "We think of what if we…"

"WIN…" except for the vigilant soldier, the whole group spoke in unison. Their morale boosted considerably.

Li stood straight up while the rest fanned out in fighting stances. The Captain watched as Li just stared at the wall directly in front of him. "Captain are there normally shadows like that on the wall?"

"Huh!?"

A drop of blood splattered down from the crown molding. Li looked up too late. My blade plunged past his suit and into his heart. My hand made another fast incision, which put the one called Li out of his misery. Li's body spasmed from his severed heart and the cataract in the middle of his chest. I leapt off of his chest. Landed on the Captain's back my hands fell with the swing from my flip and cleaved the vigilant soldier in front of me. The next Soldier ran towards me. With the tip of the katana, I made a quick slash across his eyes and finished him with a full cut at the top of his leg. He yelped and skipped out of the way as his limb spiraled leaving a red trail through the air. Biggs brought his hands to his stomach and lifted them into the air, preparing the most destructive fireball he could manage. I could feel the Captain behind me get up from all fours and stand up straight. Grabbing his elbow and rotating my hip, I pivoted and yanked him around my side. He stumbled right into the boulder-sized fireball now lurching towards us. The bundle of pyre diffused into the area around it. A thick mist made purely of flames billowed over the captain in one soft wave. Inside the cloud of sinister firebending pain, he screamed like a banshee. As the blast died down, the Captain did not. The poor man still thrashed and ran in circles like a burning piñata. Taking my chances I kicked him into Biggs. The Captain clenched the hulking firebender like he was his last hope for life. The two were set ablaze in a frenzied spurt of passion. I turned around. A spear point lunged straight at me. I side stepped it and in one stroke, cut off both of the man's arms just behind the elbows. He screamed until he slipped and fell in his puddle of blood. The shock of it all was finally getting to him. He just stayed quiet, staring at his stumps.

I pitied the two soldiers in front of me, "If you two will give me a five minute start before you tell anyone I'll let you live." They just nodded their heads and ran like they lost all composure and were scared stupid. I tore a piece of cloth from a dead soldier's uniform and began wiping my blade. I turned to the last guard, the guard who didn't "run away" but stood there scared stupid. His friend was long gone. The moron was about my height and hopefully my build. I put my blade back in its scabbard and pointed to him. "YOU!" He yelped and showed at least five psychological signs of intense fright.

A voice came from behind me. "Ha you only get him to show five signs of horror! Azula can make him show six signs of fear at once with just a glare!" It was the "unarmed" soldier with his stumps.

I walked to him and tapped his helmet with my foot. "How many signs of fear will you show before Azula kills you for your incompetence?" He remained silent. I drew my katana again. Both gulped. The soldier at my feet sneered. "No matter how many times you cut me I will still have more honor than whatever foreign crap you're made out of." I bent over and gazed through the eyeholes in his mask.

"You hide your fear well. Have you seen Azula's blue fire before?"

He scowled with an open mouth, "Have you?"

"Leaving you as a table scrap for her is a befitting punishment." I could clearly make out his expression and cold sweat. "I hope she loves weakness because she'll find several helpings in you, as much to her heart's content." The soldier's cold sweat turned to pure despair bordering on insanity. He had cracked. Foaming at the mouth in amazing insanity he begged that I kill him. I stepped past stumpy and looked at he survivor who stopped in place and stood trembling. I pointed my katana at his throat. "Give me your armor. He stripped without hesitation. I was surprised at how useful their cowardice actually was. I put on the armor piece by piece. And the last piece to go on was the helmet. The breath slits and eyeholes fit over my face like a natural exoskeleton. I decided to test my fear factor. The now naked soldier hovered there in the humiliating cold, trying to cover his balls. I breathed in. Focus. And in a deep, 'deviled' voice I firebended out white flame from behind my mask as I yelled, "NOW RUN TO AZULA AND TELL HER WHAT HAPPENED!!"

The fool forgot to think. He scampered down the hallway leaving a train of piss and crap screaming, "AZULA! AZULA! HELP ME! HELP ME!"

The stump armed man rolled over like a pig in the mud. "Don't listen you fool. Any commander would kill you, but she'll… she'll" Sobs could be heard from the white faceplate. " No you dumbass, I've survived her torture. You'll wish you were dead… Oh God anything but that. Are you there?" he was speaking to me. "Please kill me don't leave me. To die is better than life in failure."

I walked off in the opposite direction with my katana at my left side, and stalked away hopefully to a courtyard or someplace I could blend in.

* * *

A/N: if you're wondering about the dream, it's supposed to be a kind of premonition/foreshadow. I plan on the OC to meet Azula in the next Chap. Please keep reading! R&R!


End file.
